Let’s repeal anti-terror law if gov’t abuses it, says Sotto

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Monday said the controversial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 could be repealed should it be abused by the government.

But Sotto, one of the principal authors of the measure in the Senate, said the law should be given a chance to work first.

“It is only a law, it is not in the Constitution. E ‘di i-repeal natin [Then let’s repeal it]. Therefore, what I am saying as far as the anti-terrorism law is concerned, ‘pag nakita nating inabuso [if we see that there is abuse] and we mistrust the government in implementing and executing this, repeal the law,” Sotto, one of the principal authors of the measure in the Senate, said in an interview on CNN Philippines.’

“Pero now, nandoon pa lang tayo [sa] implementation. Tingnan muna natin. Let us try not to mistrust our government,” he added.

(But now, we are still in the implementation stage. Let’s see how it will be implemented. Let us try not to mistrust our government.)

Sotto reiterated that the Philippines would need to “catch up” with other countries in terms of anti-terrorism policies.

The Philippines, the senator noted, is among countries known for “coddling” terrorists alongside Iran, Iraq, Congo, Syria, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

“Kasama tayo doon because hindi natin hinaharap yung problema ng terrorism at yung Human Security Act natin after so many years, iisa lang ang conviction,” he added.

(We are among those countries because we did not face the problem of terrorism and our Human Security Act, after so many years, there’s only been one conviction.)

He also likened the problem of terrorism in the Philippines to that of the country’s illegal drug problem.

“Since the time that we removed death penalty in the Philippines when it comes to high-level drug trafficking, we became the haven of these manufacturers of illegal drugs sapagkat [because] all other countries around us, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Thailand, all these, they have death penalty for drug trafficking, tayo lang ang wala,” Sotto said.

“So what did they do? They manufacture here. In the same way acts of terrorism if you will recall there were a number of terrorists and terrorism acts that have happened in this part of Asia and the jump off from the Philippines,” he added.

The newly signed law repeals the Human Security Act of 2007 (HSA) and punishes those who will propose, incite, conspire, participate in the planning, training, preparation, and facilitation of a terrorist act; including those who will provide material support to terrorists, and recruit members in a terrorist organization.

Before it was enacted into law earlier this month, the measure had been met with widespread opposition over fears that the measure could spur human rights violations and suppress dissent.

While proponents of the measure have repeatedly defended the controversial law, saying that safeguards are in place to prevent abuses, several petitions have still been filed before the Supreme Court questioning its constitutionality. [ac]